Bring On The Razzle Dazzle

Wild Things will again be dazzling buyers at Home & Gift, Harrogate (16-19 July) with exciting new designs and products, and the unveiling of the company’s first catalogue for over two years.

Founder and managing director Jules Vahrman tells PG&H what else is taking the company forward this year, as it approaches its milestone 40th anniversary in 2024.

Best known for its top quality, colourful, rainbow making window ornaments, most notably sun catchers, Wild Things, which specialises in UK designed and manufactured bespoke crystals and jewellery, is proud to create ‘Magical Timeless Gifts’. “That’s what we like to do, to the best of our abilities,” states Jules. “We design the products, source the components and employ a skilled team of trained craftworkers to make them. We do not think of ourselves as fashion-led. The ‘timeless’ word is very important to us. It’s about paying attention to all the design details, and using the best crystals and suppliers we can find.”

He says that inspiration is everywhere. “Our two cats in the moon design combines a silhouette from an antique enamel brooch, where we added motifs used by the Spanish artist Miro in his paintings. It’s been in our catalogue for over 20 years and it’s still selling like hot cakes! It’s the same with our butterflies, dragonflies, angels and fairies. The motifs have been copied extensively both onto candle holders, lights and cheaper Chinese suncatchers, and while it’s irksome in some ways, it’s a good feeling to know our motifs are in places which would otherwise never have seen them!”

Recently the company has gone full colour, reinventing and reimagining its incredibly popular Crystal Fantasy range and naming them Crystal Dreams. “We have a very dear Swiss customer called Dreams and Fantasies –their name summing up what we do in so many ways,” explains Jules. “Most are designs inspired by nature. We like to think of them as a cross between medieval miniatures and stained glass, with the colours perfectly complementing the sparkly crystals.”

Wild Things recently introduced a carded range with relevant literary quotes on the back. “We have designed floor and counter spinners for the carded products and it’s amazing how much stock you can fit on a small footprint,” points out Jules.

“We have always liked finding literary quotes which refer to the motifs we use, from Chekhov to Tennyson to Christina Rosetti. The reason these writers are timeless is because they express something universal.” (An example includes: ‘What greater gift than the love of a cat?’ Charles Dickens).

In addition, Wild Things continues to evolve products for the company’s self-lit booths and trees. “We have heard from customers that our booths produce some of the fastest sales per footprint rates in the business which is obviously very heartening and to be appreciated, and is due, in no small part, to our using the best crystals we can,” says Jules.

On the subject of crystals, he is delighted that its extremely well-known Austrian crystal supplier has seen “the error of their ways.” (Just before the pandemic, the supplier closed its lighting business and, in addition, banned companies worldwide from using their name in relation to their products). “Fortunately, they have gone back to producing their unique lighting elements with colours that only they know how to produce, albeit accompanied by a rather large price increase,” Jules explains.

“Virtually all the crystals we use come from Austria or the Czech Republic, and when it comes to creating the palette, and engineering the fine cuts, they are still streets ahead of the Far East competition.”

He says that making things locally – at the company’s Exeter factory - means that Wild Things is able to respond fairly quickly to sudden ‘rushes’ on stock. “We are aware of retailers’ frustrations with promoting a product all year, and suppliers letting them down in the run up to Christmas, so we are very focused on avoiding that.”

Continues Jules: “Very occasionally, we come across products which are an ideal fit but which we do not make. Recently we started working with some glass manufacturers who can print our designs with textures. Lightframes feature a pine box, with LEDs which shine through our printed pictures, while Window Dreams are rondelles for the window. Both had a great reception at Spring Fair, and we are currently working on lots more designs.”

With the company constantly evolving, he says it’s often hard to stop and produce a catalogue, though Jules is adamant that nothing beats browsing through a catalogue, magazine or book. “Currently, we are in the final stages of designing our first in over two years. A sneak preview says the banners and pictures that designers Kirsty Kaye and Charlotte Fergie have created are lovely, and useful material for online retailers too.

“We are a small team –a very creative and multitalented bunch,” Jules points out. “Virtually all are female, except for Steve who manages the warehouse, and myself, the man who should have retired years ago!” he quips.

“Many of the team have had their own businesses in the past and are extremely independent. Recently, component supremos Sarah Protherough and Elisabeth Tolcher organised an Easter Bonnet competition and the results were quite extraordinary. So, it’s a small but versatile team who get on with the job, although the business is complicated by the manufacturing side. For example, we are about to extend our motifs into other product areas and, at this point, we need someone with a bird’s eye view to help that expansion. We are therefore looking for an ops manager if any readers are interested!”

Up until now, the company’s craftworkers have all come to Exeter to collect and drop off work. However, the big news is that an electric van is finally on its way after months of waiting. “Instead of 30 plus people driving in from as far away as Brixham, we will be delivering door to door which will massively reduce our carbon footprint,” enthuses Jules.

Is the ongoing cost-ofliving crisis having an impact on sales? “The last quarter of 2022 was a difficult one for everyone,” he admits. “The first quarter of the year had been fantastic, and we thought we were heading for a record year. Again, 2023 has started off really well so let’s hope it stays that way. Obviously interest rate rises and inflation are a huge worry for many. But when there is a recession people need well designed colourful, quality, affordable gifts, ideally made in the UK. Did anyone mention Wild Things Gifts?”

Internationally, the US is a huge market for Wild Things, with the company selling through Woodstock Chimes who produces musical instrument quality windchimes. “Their catchphrase is that our rainbow makers do for light what their wind chimes do for sound,” comments Jules.

Recently, the two former music professors who founded the company, and ran it for over 40 years, sold the business to Sullivan’s Gifts, a major USA wholesaler. “Their market is even bigger than Woodstock’s, so interesting times ahead,” says Jules. “We were very impressed by their showroom at the Atlanta Mart in January. Nevertheless, it’s a different world, as they are owned by an Atlanta-based hedge fund.”

Staying with trade shows, Julian and the team are looking forward to July’s Harrogate Home & Gift in July (Hall A; stand 21), which will be followed by Autumn Fair (3-6 September; Hall 7; stand G30). “By then we will have more designs to show off and some surprises we are working on,” Jules confirms. “In February, we will be returning to Spring Fair. We love doing the shows - other than the set up and pack down! – as it’s an opportunity to catch up with old friends and meet new ones. Plus, we’re especially looking forward to 2024, as it’s our 40th anniversary year, when we’ll no doubt be finding numerous ways to celebrate!”